ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pound — a weight
  3. fine — all right
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. fine — high quality
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. kid — to tease
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to confront
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. kid — child
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pitch — completely
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com